South Africa clinched a 3-0 whitewash in the their one-day series against New Zealand after easing to a five-wicket victory in Saturday's final match in Auckland.

Marchant de Lange took four wickets as New Zealand, batting first, stumbled to 206 all out, and South Africa rarely looked in danger as they succeeded in their run chase inside 44 overs.

Opener Hashim Amla's 76 was the cornerstone of the Proteas innings, while Albie Morkel's 41 - which also featured three sixes - was also a useful contribution as the tourists cantered home.

Wayne Parnell hit 27 and JP Duminy 25 as South Africa's top order continued to plunder the runs, and although the Black Caps attack did claim five wickets, the Proteas always had plenty in reserve and victory was secured when AB De Villiers crashed a six over the boundary rope.

Earlier, Brendon McCullum top scored for the Black Cats with 47 off 59 but, after getting off to a torturously slow start, the hosts could not recover and they never looked comfortable against the pace of De Lange and Dale Steyn.

New Zealand, having already lost the series, looked determined to bat out the overs after losing the toss as their openers dug in, but both fell cheaply and Rob Nicol in particular, with 12 runs off 40 balls, was guilty of getting horribly bogged down.

McCullum tried to up the rate with some powerful and intelligent boundaries, but when he lobbed a simple catch off De Lange to backward-point fielder Faf du Plessis, who also held a stunner to dismiss Martin Guptill, the Black Caps were in trouble.

Kane Williamson was brilliantly run out by Du Plessis for 22 off 43 balls, before debutant Colin de Grandhomme injected a bit of life into proceedings.

He got his first runs in one-day internationals with a six of Wayne Parnell, then advanced down the track to claim another maximum off JP Duminy.

He pulled a third off Lonwabo Tsotsobe, but fell for a run-a-ball 36, run out looking for runs as he struggled against pace.

Thereafter it was something of a procession as the last six wickets went for 46 and New Zealand were all out in 47 overs.